Hundreds of staff and students at the University of the South Pacific participated in a strike to protest what they describe as ongoing poor leadership within the institution. Members of the Association of the USP Staff and the USP Staff Union expressed their dissatisfaction with the recent outcomes of a Special Council meeting, claiming it misrepresented significant grievances as simple human resource issues to be investigated, rather than addressing concerns about USP Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia directly.
Participants donned black and white attire for the strike, which was prompted by a secret ballot held in August advocating for the removal of Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia. Rosie Fatiaki, President of the Association of the USP Staff, stated that union members collectively agreed to strike, urging the Council to resolve the matter promptly. The unions maintain that no credible investigation can proceed while Ahluwalia remains in control, arguing it constitutes poor governance to allow someone under investigation for leadership failures to retain their position.
Fatiaki highlighted that staff members have not seen any progress regarding the investigation, with the next Council meeting scheduled for next month where the report is expected to be discussed. She emphasized that for any investigation to take place, the individual under scrutiny should not hold any position of power.
The unions have raised concerns for several months regarding the Vice Chancellor’s management practices and previously disclosed findings from an independent report on his performance to the Council in November of the previous year. They noted that despite their respectful patience in waiting for the Special Council to act, the outcome from the Secretariat was ambiguous and failed to address the core issue of Ahluwalia’s leadership, which they believe is negatively impacting the university.
Fatiaki mentioned that the strike is a form of industrial action that followed the necessary processes, noting that around 200 staff participated. The unions criticized the ongoing delays in the investigation process and expressed concern that it appears to be intentionally stalled.
In response, the University acknowledged the strike by Fiji-based staff from the two unions, stating that the issues raised fall outside the terms of their collective contracts and conditions of employment. The university affirmed that maintaining student support remains their primary focus during this period.